HEBREW WORD STUDY – TEST, BANNER, MIRACLE – NASAH נסה Nun Samek Hei
Genesis 22:1: “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, [here] I [am].”
All the English translations I checked (24 of them) say God tested Abraham. One says he proved Abraham and a couple say he tried him. Only the old KJV says tempted and even the NKJV says tested.
What is a test? Webster defines the English word for test as learning something about a person or object being tested. Yet, can we presume that God, who is the knower of all things, did not understand fully the magnitude of the love and commitment of Abraham’s heart. Why did God have to test it?
I believe the answer lies within the multiple meanings that you find in the Hebrew word nesah which is the Hebrew word for testing. It also means to challenge or to raise a banner. There is the old joke, I am not sure if it is based upon truth or not, that in the early days of communism when they were trying to shut down churches and wipe out Christianity a small group men dressed as communist soldiers entered a church with a machine guns and announced that he had orders to kill every Christian. If any in the congregation were not a Christian, they were free to leave. The majority fleed and with the few that remained the leader said; “Ok, now we have the true believers, let’s start praying and worshipping God.” We really don’t know how deep our faith runs until it is tried. Peter thought his faith and love for God ran deep enough that he was willing to die for Jesus, but when the opportunity came and it was tried, he quickly backed down and denied Jesus three times.
As I write this the next president of this nation has yet to be decided. Some Christians feel if their candidate does not win they are doomed. In my latest book; “Time Loop” I argue that it doesn’t matter who wins, Christians are about to enter a time of nesah, that is putting their money where their mouth is. I believe the tide has turned against us and we will be challenged to make a stand for our faith in the coming year. We don’t have to prove anything to God, just like with Abraham, God knew his heart, He knew just what Abraham would do. Abraham needed to know what he would do when faced with the challenge of a life time. In my book I outline my belief that this coming year will be a real time of separating the wheat from the chaff. We will no longer be able to get away with playing Christian, we will need to take a stand in our faith.
But soft, there is more to the word nesah, it also means a banner. God will bring this nesah test to us not only to let us know the depth of our love for God but we will be able to exalt it as a banner to world that we will pay whatever price to remain loyal to God. We will not only prove to ourselves but the wordl that we will be willing to lose of a job, lose respect, face ridicule and mockery, persecution, lies, slander and even false arrest for sharing out faith. What is the depth of the faith of American Christians? I believe we are no only about to learn but we will be amazed at how many believers there are who will take their stand for God. I believe next year we are going to demonstrate to the world that American Christians are not the wimps the world thinks we are. In the midst of persecution we will gain a new respect a respect that is deserved and not demanded or expected.
Would you like Chaim Bentorah as your personal Hebrew teacher?
|
|
For there is still another English word that is used for nesah, it is the word miracle. For in my book I predict that when we take our stand there will be a great miracle take place, the miracle of a revival like we have never witnessed in our life time. This revival is not going to feature every Tom, Dick and Harry who want to get on the band wagon to cash in on the rising tide of opportunity. Those individuals will be hiding out in their shelters, the chaff and tares separated from the wheat.
Just so there is no misunderstanding here, I am speaking of the Hebrew word nesah not bechinah which is also a Hebrew word for testing. But bechinah is like the test offered in schools to help the teachers and administration understand how much a student knows. Nesah is a test to help the student understanding what he knows and bechinah is a test to help the teacher to discern what the student knowns
When God brings a nesah test to you it is to reveal your true agenda and motivations for serving God. It is to give you a chance to raise your banner and declare to the world your love and commitment to God and it is also an opportunity to break out of you own personality constraints and become something you never thought possible, in short to experience a miracle and become a miracle.
Hi there! Thank you for reading this Daily Word Study. Can I ask a favor? Share this Daily Word Study with your friends on Facebook and Twitter by clicking one of the icons below.
Thanks & Blessings, it means a lot to me!
There is a shaking going to take place as scripture says, and It will remove the ones playing church and those serious. That isn’t referring to people who actually go to a church but ones professing to be in Thee Church which is to say the Body of Christ. Bible talks about a falling away and I believe this is where we will see who shows their true colors.
Our eyes can be opened when we ‘come our of her my people.’
I shall see and taste that the Lord is good. I believe and so will live and declare the marvelous works of the Lord. Pray
always, even for your enemies, so that you will be called worthy to escape all things…I am not expecting to suffer unnecessarily..not now that I know better.
Christ is not anything like Christianity, in my humble opinion. Christianity is telling me that I have to suffer unnecessarily and that I am a ‘sinner.’ What has the light to do with the dark? In Him there is no sin and He lives in me and through me so that I can have an abundant life filled with good things. Stay in the secret place of the Most High and if you have suffered with Christ you are free to have a wonderful life and to tell the devil to take a hike. God is proving Himself to me as trustworthy. We do not have to become a martyr but we can become one if that is what we want. Chaim, you Love God, this I know, the Living, personal God. You do not have to suffer unnecessarily brother. I agree with Ken in the comment above regarding organizations. Christianity is like an organization but Christ works with us one on one. God is a personal God and that is a miracle to grab a hold of so that you need not suffer unnecessarily. You often tell us about the pitfalls of Christianity and that is because there are many deceptions in its herd mentality. The narrow path is just that…and there are wonderful things awaiting you in the secret place that have nothing to do with suffering unnecessarily or denying our Lord. I will pray Ephesians 3:14 over you and Laura.
Oddly, I’ve always thought that 2020 would be a year of 20/20 vision; a year when our eyes are opened.
How many have put their faith completely in God?
We have no control over the world, the enemy does whatever he can get away with. When pestilence came, did you fear, or trust in God?
When lockdowns came, did you really think that it was for our own good?
Do you long for the day when the government, and science will save the day like Captain Underpants?
The enemy runs the world. In Revelation we are called to “Get out of her!” Do you stand for the Kingdom of God , or is your faith in the world organizations?
Do you feel set up, and sold out?
Just some questions. Often when I ask God questions, He gives me more back.